Container openers



July 24, 1956 R. B. FLEMING CONTAINER OPENERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May26, 1.955

ma Wm WM mu F v m E B m y B Afforne v July 24, 1956 FL IN 2,755,548

CONTAINER OPENERS Filed May 26, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 3 H5 28ROBERT E. FLEMING BY #f/onrey United States PatentO CONTAINER OPENERSRobert B. Fleming, Whittier, Califl, assiguor to Alden E. Watts, LouStahovich and Charles A. Gilmore Application May 26, 1955, Serial No.511,180

8 Claims. (Cl. 30-4) This invention relates generally to new and usefulimprovements in can openers, and relates more particularly to canopeners of the power driven type.

While the invention has particular utility embodied in can openers forhousehold use, and is shown and described in such an embodiment, it isto be understood that its utility is not confined thereto.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a power driven canopener adapted to sever the tops of upright cylindrical cansperipherally along the inside of the circumferential top beads duringcan rotation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterthat is electrically operated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter wherein there is an electric motor which is automaticallycontrolled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter wherein the electric motor does not start to operate and drivethe cutter element until the control lever has been actuated to aposition whereat the cutter element has punctured the can top and is incutting position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter wherein the electric motor is automatically stopped when thecover of the can has been completely severed without the necessity ofany additional manipulation of the control lever.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwherein the cutting wheel will automatically move out of the way ofdistorted portions of the bead of the can and thus avoid injury to themechanism, said cutting wheel being adapted to automatically return tothe cutting position and continue cutting the can top when the distortedportions are passed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter that will readily and automatically accommodate cans ofvarious sizes and efiectively open said cans.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which will automatically retain the cans in proper cuttingposition.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter that is extremely safe to operate and wherein the risk ofinjury to the operator is substantially eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterthat is relatively simple and durable in construction, and that issimple, efficient and reliable in operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter that is exceedingly efiective for the purpose for which it isintended.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter that is very attractive in appearance.

ice

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are furthersufficiently referred to in connection with the following detaileddescription of the accompanying drawings which illustrate oneembodiment. After considering this example, skilled persons willunderstand that many variations may be made without departing from theprinciples disclosed, and I contemplate the employment of anystructures, arrangements or modes of operation that are properly withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a can opener embodying the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the device showing the internalparts;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the device with a can in position forcutting and the parts of the device in cutting position;

Fig. 5 is a front view of the control lever with the cover removed toshow the electrical control system, and;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the device comprises ahollow housing, indicated generally at 10, having a supporting base 11.The front wall 12 of the housing is provided with an inwardly extendingboss 13 located intermediately of the top and bottom of the housing andsubstantially midway between the sides, said boss having a longitudinalbore in which is rotatably received a shaft 14. The forward end of shaft14 extends outwardly of the front wall 12 and carries a peripherallyknurled feeding or drive wheel 15 which is secured to said shaft inforwardly spaced relation to said wall 12. A flange 16 limits inwardmovement of shaft 14 and outward movement is limited by a worm gear 17which is secured to the inner end of said shaft. Worm gear 17 is meshedwith and driven by a worm 18 which is secured to a shaft 19 extendingupwardly from a gear box 20 carried at the upper end of an electricmotor 21 disposed vertically in said housing. Motor 21 drives shaft 19through speed reduction gearing, not shown, in said gear box 20. In sometypes of installation the speed reduction gearing may not be required.

The motor 21 is retained in position in the housing by a clamp,indicated generally at 24, having an intermediate portion 25 secured toa side wall 26 of the housing by screws or other suitable means, notshown. Clamp 24 has portions 27 about the motor and has free endportions 28 with aligned openings therein for reception of a screw 29,said screw being provided with a nut 30 for tightening said clamp andsecurely holding the motor therein.

Spaced upwardly of the boss 13 is a boss 35 which extends inwardly ofthe housing from the side wall 26. A bolt 36 has one end secured axiallyin said boss 35, there being an arm, indicated generally at 37,rotatably mounted on said bolt 36 against the inner end of said boss 35,said arm having a portion 33 extending forwardly and outwardly through aslot 39, Fig. 1, in the front wall 12 of the housing and having a curvedportion 40 terminating in an eye 41. The portion 38 of the arm islocated adjacent the side 26 of the housing but the eye 41 is positionedin and movable in a vertical forwardly and rearwardly extending planethrough the longitudinal center of the housing and in forwardly spacedrelation to said housing. A magnet 42 is carried by said arm and has astem 42 provided with a 1ongi'- tudinally extending threaded bore, notshown, for recepto said eye. It will beinoted, Fig. 6, that the stem 43and screw 44 are both smaller in diameter than theinside diameter of theeye, the head 45 of said screw being larger than said inside diameter ofthe eye.

Arm-37 is yieldingly held inthe upper positiom best shown in Figs. 1 and2, by a spring fl'coiled about" the boss-35 and having endportions.48-reactingbetweenprojechions=49 and 50- on the wall 26 and armportion 38 respectively. Upward movement of the arm portion 38 islimited by the upper" end of said slot 39.

A sleeve 51 is disposed on bolt 36 and abracket, indicated generally at52,. is pivotally mounted on the inner end of the bolt, said inner endprojecting outwardly of the adjacent end of said sleeve.

The bracket 52 comprises'a. plate- 53of generally; rectangular shapehaving anopening adjacent the inner lower corner in which said innerboltend is received so that the bolt: provides apivotal support for saidbracket. The front and rear ends of the; plate 53 are provided with earsS4'and 55 respectively which extend laterally of said plate and in thesame direction. The ears-'54 and=55 are provided with aligned openingsfor reception of a-bolt- 56,- said openings being so arranged that thebolt 56 inclines downwardly and forwardly through: an opening-57: in thefront wall 12 of the housing, it; being noted that the lower edge of theear 54 engages the loweredge 58 of said opening 57 to. limit downwardmovement of the forward end of the bracket.

(Earned on. theforward end of bolt 56 is a control means,. indicatedgenerally at 60,- and said lever and bolt are secured. to thebracketbya. nut 61 on the threadedinner end of said bolt.

Bracket 52 isurged downwardly by a relatively heavy spring 63 which. is:disposed between a flange' 64 turned laterally of the plate 52 and.anabutment 65 which extends inwardly ofsthehousing-from the frontwall12.

The control. means. 60 comprises a member: 70, one end1portion71 ofwhich is attached-to-the forward end of bolt 56by any suitable means,such: as a pin 72;

A cutter orcutting. disk 73' is rotatably secured to the; end portion:71iby. means of. a: screw 74, the axis of saidcutter being. ofisetfromthe pivotal axis-of 'the member 70.v Thusthe cutter: iseccentrica'lly:mounted relative. to the. axisaofr saids member 70 and,asbest seen Figs. 1; and: 5; said cutter isxofiset to the left: of theaxis on said member 70..

Member 70 is.provided-i with1achamber 76; defined at theaendsby walls77-and 78:-and1at.the sidesby walls 79 and 79a. Endiwall: 77 is locatedat: the: freeend of member. 70 and;is;provided: with an opening80=therethrough forpoperable. reception. of? alever, indicated:genorally, at 81. The latterpis pivotedintermediatecits-ends on -a,pivotpin 82; located within theaopening 80, so that there is an inner end.portion 83 disposed: within the chamber 76 and; an outer endportion-84to which a handle :85; is. attached.

The; inner end-portion 83,;ofz1evcr 81 hasxaswitchzSS attached thereto.The switch 88 may be ofiany'suitable type but is shown, as beingamicro-switchhaving a, switch actuating plunger 89, saidswitch'beingzsecured to the free end of lever 83 by any suitablerneanssuch as screws, not shown. Wires 90 arezconnectedto the switch 88 and.are suitably connected: to. the electric motor circuit in the wellknownmanner for. controlling said circuit and hence the operation of:said motor. Lever 81 is urged in a clockwise directionby. a spring 91and movement of the, lever. in, said. direction is limitedby a stop 92with which portion.83 of said: lever engages, said stop extending intothe path ofssaiddever portion 83 from member'70, a portion: of which.defines the; bottom of said chambe1fi76. Lever 811is2also1 limited initswounterclockwise movement. on pivot 82 bya stop 93 extending inwardlyof saidchamber 76'from side-wall 79a. However, 1ever'81-has-limitedmovementzbetween said stops.

A second lever; indicated'generally at 95', is-carried bysaid member 70,said lever including a portion 96 disposed within the chamber 76 andpivoted adjacent one end on a pivot pin 97 extending into said chamberfrom the bottom wall thereof. Pivot pins 82 and 97 are substantiallyparallel to each other and both are adjacent the free end of member 70.Portion 96 of lever 95 is urged in a clockwise direction by a spring 98which reacts between said.- lever and an abutment 99 extending intochamber 76 from the member 70. Lever 95- al'so includes a portion 100:-which extends outwardly through a slot- 101 in a cover 102- secured tothe member 70. by screws 103, and said. portion 100' carries an arcuateend portion 104 which is disposed adjacent and in forwardlyspacedrelation to said cutting disk 73, as best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and4. The lever 95 is limited in its clockwise movement by engagement ofthe portion 100 with the left-hand end, as viewed in Fig. 1,. of? said.slot 101 and? when thelever isin' this-position. the. portion; 96 isspaced from the switch. plunger 89 as shown. in- Fig. 5' wherein thevarious parts are in their normal: 13081110111. Also. when. lever. 95isv in said position. the arcuate part:10.4:is'in:a;p1ane spacedradially outwardly of said-disk 73 as: bestshown. in. Fig. 1.

Can positioning means is provided and includes a horizontal; flange 106spaced downwardly of the feeding or drive wheel 15' and extending:forwardly from the. front wall 12 of; the: housing:10; Beneath theflange 106 is a horizontal slot 107" and said flange may be cut' fromsaid fronf'wall: 12 and turned outwardly thereof.

The canpositioning means also includes a 1ever,1indicated: generally at110, having; a traverse boss 112, as best .shown in: Fig, 3; providedwith. an: opening extending lengthwise of said. bossfor reception of apivot pin 114. At. each endrof. the-boss 112 is an ear115 which extendsinwardly ofthe housing from the front wall 12 thereof, I

said earsbeing providedzwithv aligned openings for reception of endportions of saidpinllt whereby the lever 110 is" pivotally: mounted: andsupported by' said; ears. The lever portions 118 and 119 above; and;below the boss-1:121 are inclined away from said wall: 12 and form anobtuseiangle relative; to.- each other. lever and 118 has an. endportion. 120'whichz isturned outwardly: and

extends throughislot: 107 and. outwardly of said well 12 beyond theforward? edge:of'flange.106. End. portion 120ihas airelatively deepnotch 122,. best shown in Fig. 3,.whi'ch' extendsinwardly' from: theforward. edge and said; end portion: 120, is urged. outwardly andforwardly relativetoiwalll2iby a spring which reacts: between wall- 12-and lover. portion 119.

The baclc, ofthe housing 10' is closed by. a. cover'plate 126 which. maybe; removably secured tothe housing by any. suitable means:such; as:screws; not shown. A: hole 128 is. providedzin the-plate: through.which. the: electric cord 129'of;the mot0r:21 extends and :whichis'adaptcd to be plugged into any convenient receptacle connected with asuitable source. of 5 power.:

Normally I the. control meansv 60' is ;in the upright position as shownin Figs. 1 and.2. When it is desired-to opema can,..such asx-indicatedat 130, saidzcan: is'placed inthe notch.1-22:withbead 131 resting on theknurled edge of the drive: wheel: 15: The weight of: the: can causesportion 120 to move inwardly against the force of spring; 125. until thecan: engages flange. 106- and isinan upright: positionas shown in; Fig.4.

Handle.- 85: isv then movedini the counterclockwise direction. There issufilcient resistance to movement of the member; 70 vto. cause: lever 81to pivot on-pin= 82. in' the counterclockwise: direction so: as. tomove' lever portion 83 against stop 93 and thereby move switch.88 to aposition whereat-leven portion 951cm .not actuate .the plunger 89;Asrsoonzas lever" portion- 83 engagesstop 93 the member 70 is moved withfurther counterclockwise movement of'the handle-until the cutter- 73pierces the top 133 of the can 130." As the cont'roh means approachesthe latter position the portion 104 of lever 95 engages amass '5 the cancover 133 and moves the portion 96 of lever 95 toward. the plunger 89 ofswitch 88. The portion 96 of lever 95 does not engage the plunger 89 atthis time but is in a position whereat the plunger will engage saidportion 96 and actuate said switch upon release of handle 85. Movementof lever portion 83 to cause engagement of plunger 89 with lever portion96 for actuation of switch 88 is effected by the spring 91 when thehandle 85 is released. Also as the control means is moved in thecounterclockwise direction member 70 engages the portion 38 of arm 37and moves same downwardly to a position whereat the magnet 42 contactsthe can top 133.

After the control means has been moved to the lowermost position releaseof the handle will effect closing of switch 88 and thus start motor 21operating. The motor operates the feed wheel 15 which rotates the canwhile the cutter severs the cover. Thus by having the motor start afterthe cutter 73 has pierced the cover certain difiiculties have beeneliminated and a safety factor is provided. It is also to be noted thatthe can is held in proper cutting position and against lateraldisplacement while the can is being cut by means of the reception ofsaid can in the notch 122 of the end portion 120.

As soon as cover 133 has been severed spring 98 moves a lever 95 in theclockwise direction to its limit of movement whereat portion 96 is movedaway from switch plunger 89 to thereby elfect opening of switch 88 andstopping of the motor. As lever 95 is thus moved the severed cover 133is tilted by the portion 104 of said lever 95. This action is possiblebecause of the loose connection of the magnet 42 with the eye 41 oflever 37.

Movement of the control means 60 to the upright position by means ofhandle 85 permits lever 37 to move to its upright position under theinfluence of spring 47 and due to stop 92 the switch 88 will not beclosed during this movement of the control means.

Should the cutter 73 strike a distorted portion of the bead 131 of thecan as the device is operating the spring 63 will yield and allow thecutter to move upwardly and pass over said distorted portion. As soon assaid distorted portion has passed below the cutter the spring 63 willforce said cutter back into the cover so that cutting of said cover fromthe can will continue.

I claim:

1. In a can opener: a cutter; power means for rotating a can; and meansfor moving said cutter into and out of cutting position, said meansincluding means for starting said power means after the cutter haspunctured the cover of the can and for automatically stopping said powermeans when said cover is severed.

2. In a power operated can opener for severing covers from metal cans:supporting means; a rotary can feeding member operably carried by saidsupporting means; a motor connected to said feeding member for drivingsame; a rotary can cutter; and means for moving said cutter into and outof Cutting position, said means including means engageable with the cancover for starting said motor after the cutter has perforated the cancover and is in cutting position, and for stopping said motor when saidcover has been severed from the body of the can.

3. In a power operated can opener for severing covers from metal cans:supporting means; a rotary can feeding member operably carried by saidsupporting means; a motor connected to said feeding member for drivingsame; a rotary can cutter; means for moving said cutter into and out ofcutting position, said means including means for starting said motorafter the cutter has perforated the can cover and is in cuttingposition, and for stopping said motor when said cover has been severedfrom the body of the can; and yielding means urging the cutter intocutting position when the cutter moving means has moved said cutter intocutting position, said yielding means being adapted to yield when thecutter strikes an obstruction to normal cutting action and permits saidcutter to move out of the way of said obstruction.

4. In a power operated can opener for severing end covers from metalcans: supporting means; a rotary can feeding member operably carried bysaid supporting means; an electric motor connected to said feedingmember for driving same; control means, including a cutter positioningmember operably carried by said supporting means; a rotary cutteroperably carried by said positioning member and being movable therebyinto and out of cutting position; a lever pivoted to said member forpositioning said cutter; a handle carried by one end of said lever; anormally open switch connected to said motor for controlling same, saidswitch being carried by said lever and having an actuating member;spaced stops for limiting movement of said lever; a second lever pivotedto said positioning member and having a part normally spaced from saidswitch actuating member and movably toward and into engagement with samefor closing said switch, said second lever having a can cover engageableportion positioned adjacent said cutter; yielding means urging the firstmentioned lever toward said second lever part and against one of saidstops; and yielding means urging said second lever away from said switchto a position whereat said second lever part is disengaged from saidactuating member of said switch so that said switch will be open,actuating of said cutter positioning member by means of said handlemoving said first mentioned lever against the other of said stops andactuating said positioning member and hence the cutter to the cuttingposition whereat the cover is pierced by said cutter, said switchactuating member then being spaced further from said part of said secondlever and said actuating of said positioning member to the cuttingposition effecting engagement of said cover engaging part of said secondlever with said cover to move said lever toward said switch actuatingmember but in spaced relation thereto, release of said handle permittingthe first mentioned yielding means to move the first lever against saidone stop and causing the switch actuating member to engage said secondlever part to effect closing of said switch.

5. The invention defined by claim 4 wherein said cutter positioningmember is pivotally mounted to pivot and permit movement of the cutter,when in the cutting position, away from the cover being cut; andyielding means urging said positioning member in the opposite direction.

6. The invention defined by claim 4 wherein there is a pivoted armhaving a free end part adapted to be swung to a position over the coverof a can being cut; a magnet; means connecting said magnet to said freeend part, said means permitting swinging movement of said magnet; andyielding means urging said arm upwardly; and means limiting upwardmovement of said arm, said arm being engageable by said cutterpositioning member upon movement of said member to the cutting positionso that said magnet is moved into engagement with said cover.

7. The invention defined by claim 4 wherein there is a horizontal flangecarried by said supporting means beneath said feeding member and inspaced relation thereto for engagement with a can adjacent the upper endthereof; and there is can positioning means beneath said flange, saidpositioning means including a member having a relatively large, canreceiving notch and being urged outwardly relative to the free outeredge of the flange.

8. In a power operated can opener for severing covers from metal cans:supporting means; a rotary can feeding member operably carried by saidsupporting means; a motor connected to said feeding member for drivingsame; a can cutter; and means for moving said cutter into and out ofcutting position, said means including means engageable with the cancover for starting said motor after the cutter has perforated the cancover and is in cutting position, and for stopping sgid motor" when saidcover has been severed fio'm the may of tfie cain'.

References (Zitedfihtfie file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS HolmanDec. 12,1933 Pearson Iune 16, 1942

